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The soft beeping of monitors throughout the hospital was almost a lullaby in its way. A lullaby of normalcy after hours of noise and exhaustion.
All of which had led them here.
To this moment of peace.
Percy couldn’t keep himself from smiling as he sat behind Vex, braiding her damp hair softly while she nursed their newborn daughter.
“It’s not too tight, is it?” he breathed as he tied it off with a light blue scrunchie, a gift from their eldest daughter.
She shook her head with a soft hum, “No, darling, it’s perfect.”
For every bit of exhaustion that coursed through him, he knew she was even more so. He’d only just helped her take a quick shower and reset while their child slept, the hospital bathroom door open so they could both hear her in the event she woke. Now she was in comfortable pajamas, braless, and feeling far more refreshed despite the bone-deep exhaustion that they both held within themselves. Their baby was only a few hours old, and they’d barely gotten any sleep in the days prior on account of the laboring and delivery process, but as they sat there in the silence, all they could think about was how worth it everything had been.
After months of a difficult pregnancy, a long, painful labor, and multiple wakings through the night by doctors and nursing staff, they had found themselves here.
Safe with a beautiful new baby girl.
Their daughter, having been born at three o’clock that morning, had still not completely gotten used to her new status of living in the world, outside of Vex’ahlia’s womb, her occasional fussing drawing them consistently to her side. Like her siblings, she had the slight, almost impish points to her ears and the same tufts of dark hair that the majority of them had at birth.
Seven pounds and three ounces.
Gwendolyn Zahra Melanie von Musel de Rolo.
A squalling miracle was placed in their arms just before the holiday season went into full swing.
And they couldn’t be happier.
No matter how many times they’d done this before, each time they’d welcomed a new member of their family into the world, he found himself completely possessed by joy and wonder. He found himself more and more in love with his wife each time, and completely enamored with the family they’d made.
Gods, he couldn’t believe that this was his life.
He didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve it, but he’d vowed to do everything he could to be worthy of it.
“You’re drinking your water?” he questioned, brushing the braid aside as he peered over his wife’s shoulder to look at their little miracle in her arms.
She huffed. This had been the fifth time he had asked that question in the last two hours, desperate to ensure she stayed hydrated and healthy in the hours after the birth, “Yes. Though I’d much rather prefer coffee.”
“I know, love,” he brushed a kiss to her forehead, “But Kiki already told me they’re going to stop for coffee on the way here. You’ll have your coffee soon enough.”
She sighed in relief, smiling down at their tiny daughter in her arms, “She was worth abstaining, though.”
“Oh, absolutely,” he agreed, kissing her forehead again before giving her a little more space on the bed.
His phone buzzed from where it sat on a tray table to the side, and he took a quick glance at the text he’d received, finding his brother-in-law’s name on the glowing screen.
Vax: In hospital garage. K’s looking for spot.
“They’re almost here,” he informed his wife, speaking softly so as not to disturb their baby girl, “Keyleth’s just looking for parking.”
“Kiki’s driving the van?” An amused smile crossed Vex’s face as their daughter finally stopped nursing, adjusting her to burp the little thing against her chest gently.
“I trust her more than I trust Vax with the van,” he murmured, chuckling at the memory of his brother-in-law’s risky driving, especially when it came to larger cars. “Besides, he gets far too stressed out with the kids in the car.”
“And Keyleth doesn’t?” Vex giggled, smiling at their swaddled daughter.
“Less than he does,” he grinned, his heart suddenly held in awe as their baby girl yawned, her tiny mouth stretching open, “Oh…that was a big one.”
“I’m not sure she’s much of a morning person,” Vex chuckled, “Takes after the both of us.”
“And her siblings, for that matter,” he agreed, grinning down at her, their newest addition to their family, admiring this beautiful little thing they’d made. A new star in his sky, which he would spend every day trying to be worthy of.
Vex leaned back against him, a tired smile on her face, while her fingers brushed over their child’s swaddled body. The silence was wonderful, a rhythm that the two of them fell into instantly with the soft inhaling and exhaling of their child in her arms. The baby was asleep already after nursing, and the way her tiny lips pursed into a frown had Percy smiling all the wider.
“She’s got the same scowl Vesper and Leona had,” he grinned, “The RBF is definitely hereditary.”
Vex laughed softly, careful not to jostle the baby, “I’m not shocked.”
The baby let out a small gasping noise, her frown deepening as she curled closer into Vex. He could see the way her tiny arms were shifting beneath her swaddle, as if the little thing was trying to be free of the unexpected straitjacket she’d found herself in. A few seconds later, a tiny pink fist escaped from the top of the swaddle, peaking forward as the girl attempted to stretch, looking all the more frustrated in her sleep when she couldn’t.
“Ah,” he chuckled, unable to stop his heart from softening as he peered down at their baby girl, “An escape artist too, it seems.”
“Freddie will be so proud,” Vex chuckled.
Their youngest son had historically been an escape artist when it came to swaddling.
“He’s going to be so excited,” he whispered, smiling at the thought of their little boy, barely three years old, and only wanting to talk about the new baby every chance he got, “How much do you wanna bet he was bugging Vax and Keyleth for updates more than Vesper was?”
“Oh, wouldn’t be much of a bet,” she chuckled, shaking her head.
As if on cue, his phone buzzed again, and he leaned over, smiling when he saw the message.
Keyleth: Walking up now! See you soon! :)
“They’re here,” he grinned.
She smiled softly, “You should meet them in the lobby so they don’t get lost again. Remember how they nearly ended up in the morgue last time?”
He chuckled at the memory, “Yeah…I should probably save them before your brother’s sense of direction ends up scarring our children.”
“You’d think with as many times as we’ve been here, he would have known by now,” Vex grinned, smiling tiredly up at him.
He laughed softly, brushing a kiss against her forehead, “You two will be alright?”
She grinned at him before looking at their sleeping daughter in her arms, “I think we’ll be just fine.”
He nodded, grabbing his cane from where it leaned against the bed, taking his time to stand up and recenter his weight, old injuries from his teenage years aching after a long night of pacing. He was thankful he’d decided to wear comfier clothes when they’d left for the hospital the day before. He straightened his old university hoodie, using the sleeve to clear some smears from his glasses, before he stopped to look at his girls. His wife and newborn daughter.
He couldn’t keep the smile from his face.
Vex smiled at him, an eyebrow shooting upward, “You alright, de Rolo?”
“Hmm?” he smiled, “Don’t mind me…just admiring the magnificent love of my life and our new fantastic miracle.”
“Sap,” she rolled her eyes before peering down at their baby, “You’re going to have to get used to that, Gwennie, dear. Your father’s a big ol’ sappy mess.”
“And you love me for it,” he retorted, “Do you need me to grab you anything before I go?”
“I’m a little cold, darling,” Vex whispered, leaning against the pillows, not looking up from where their daughter rested, “Could you grab my jacket, please?”
He kissed her temple gently, “Of course.”
He retrieved her soft jacket and gently laid it over her shoulders, pausing only for a moment to peer down at their daughter again before making sure they were both situated.
“You’re sure you don’t need anything else?” he asked, scanning over his wife and newborn daughter, “Anything I can do for you?”
“We’ll be fine, Percival,” Vex rolled her eyes. “Go find our brood.”
“I’ll be right back,” he promised, kissing her on the forehead again, before smiling down at their baby, running his fingertip over her tiny fingers, and finally turning back to leave the hospital room. He was gentle as he closed the door behind him, not wanting to disturb their snoozing baby, and only paused for a moment to peek through the small window beside the door to marvel at his wife again, before he set off in search of his brother and sister-in-law and children.
“Morning, Percy,” one of the nurses, Kara, greeted him as he stepped out of the hospital room, the maternity ward abuzz with soft chatter, the morning run having been finished, “How’re Vex and baby Gwen?”
Kara had worked at this hospital from the time that Vesper had been born and had become familiar with the family in every event afterwards. At this point, most of the hospital maternity ward staff were familiar with them and were delighted to see the rest of the family growing.
“They’re doing fine, thank you,” he smiled, “I’m just going to fetch the family so they can meet her.”
“Oh, yay!” Kara cheered, “It’ll be wonderful to see them. I guess little Freddie’s excited to be a big brother?”
“Absolutely delighted,” he grinned, “I’ve just got to make sure the Uncle doesn’t get lost again.”
With that, he set off, trying to move quickly, despite the ache in his leg.
He was so excited to see his children. As much as he was glad that he’d gotten some quality time with their newborn and time to care for Vex’ahlia before they arrived, he’d missed their smiles. He’d missed going through their usual nighttime routine, checking underneath Freddie’s bed for monsters, making sure Wolfe brushed his teeth, and making sure Leona put her glasses in their case instead of falling asleep with them on her face, and giving Vesper a soft hug and whispering their secret code in Celestial before bed. He missed the other four, even though he’d seen them the morning before. He missed them so much that he was almost excited for the tight squeezes that he’d undoubtedly be bombarded with the second he saw them.
Thankfully, there was nobody in the elevator. As he rode it down to the first floor, he found himself worrying for Vex and Gwen again. What if the moment he’d stepped away, something happened? Vex was capable, yes, but she’d had a difficult delivery that morning, and Gwen was still so small. Gods knew Freddie had given them a run for their money when he’d contracted RSV at a few months old, and the twins had been a handful and a half. What if something happened and Gwen or Vex’ahlia needed immediate help, and he wasn’t there to help?
As if on cue, his phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see a text from Vex, the signal surprisingly good for an elevator.
Vex’ahlia: We’re fine, darling. Stop worrying <3
Gods, his wife knew him better than he knew himself.
The message was accompanied by a selfie she’d taken of her and baby Gwen, their daughter’s brown eyes peering up at Vex with a look of curiosity that had his heart captive all over again. Her tiny mouth was stretched open in a yawn, and Vex, though she was exhausted, was smiling proudly down at the tiny little thing.
He quickly wrote his response as the elevator doors opened, revealing the front lobby to him.
How’d you know?
Her response was near-immediate.
Vex’ahlia: I’m your wife. I know everything.
“DADDY!!!”
He had barely stepped out of the elevator before the sound of a familiar child’s shriek caught his attention, and he looked up just in time to see two blurs of color beelining for him.
He just barely had time to brace himself before both of his legs were accosted by the twins, both Wolfe and Leona gripping onto his legs without abandon. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he struggled to kneel, wrapping his arms around the twins while trying to keep his cane from falling over.
Both Leona and Wolfe buried their faces in his neck as he held them.
“Hello, dears,” he chuckled, “Did you miss me?”
“So much!” Leona practically shouted for the whole lobby to hear, hanging off of his neck and nearly elbowing Wolfe in the process, “Uncle Vax nearly burnt the mac n’cheese again.”
“It was crazy!” Wolfe nodded, his eyes wide, “But Aunt Kiki opened the windows and fixed it with the wind!”
“With a few fans,” Keyleth laughed as she walked up beside them, holding a bouquet of blue and pink flowers for Vex, as well as a tray of coffee cups, “Not the actual wind.”
“It was still magical how quickly you fixed it,” Vax’s voice chimed in as he walked over, carrying Freddie on his hip and Vesper at his side. He looked at Percy, who was still hugging the twins and struggling to maintain his balance, “Alright twinnies, how about we let your Dad breathe a little, yeah?”
Almost instantly, the twins, who practically worshipped their uncle, disengaged from his side, helping him stand and regain his balance with his cane. Percy nodded in thanks at his brother-in-law, still holding his children to his side, but making sure he wasn’t at risk of falling in the middle of the lobby.
“Daddy?”
The small voice of his youngest son caught his attention as he looked at where Freddie clung to his uncle, his big blue eyes peering up at him almost as if he wanted to cry but was trying very hard not to. A tiny hand reached out for him, a telltale sign that he desperately wanted to be held.
Percy’s heart instantly softened, and he shifted his balance to what he was used to, holding one arm out to take their younger son into his arms. As soon as he had Freddie in his arms, his youngest son buried his face in his neck.
“Hi, buddy,” he whispered, hugging his little boy gently, “Are you okay?”
Freddie didn’t answer, just clinging to Percy’s sweater with the strongest grip his tiny hands could manage.
He glanced at his eldest, who gave him a quick side hug, not wanting to compromise his balance any more than it could have been with the twins on his legs.
“He had a night terror,” Vesper whispered, her hand on her little brother’s back, “Another bad one.”
Percy’s heart sank slightly as his younger son clung to him. He’d worried about this when he and Vex had gone to the hospital the night before. His nightmares had been happening more and more often now, despite every effort and attempt on his and Vex’s part to teach their son how to manage them and treat them. More often than not, he would dream that someone had tried to take his parents from him, or his siblings had been stolen by some faceless entity. He would dream of smoke and shadow creeping in on him, laughing and telling him that his family would be taken away from him. Every time their son woke up and wandered into their bedroom, his eyes full of tears and head full of worries about losing them, their hearts would break, and they would hold him until he was convinced that he was safe once more.
“Oh, buddy,” Percy whispered, pressing a kiss to his son’s curls, nodding in thanks at Vesper before turning his attention to his son, “Did you want to talk about it?”
Freddie shook his head, “I jus’ want to see M-Mummy.”
“That can be arranged,” he whispered, kissing his son’s curls, “Did you wanna meet your baby sister, too?”
Freddie’s eyes widened, “Sister?!”
“It’s a girl!” Leona cheered, almost immediately perking up, her eyes wide as she nudged Wolfe, “I told you!!”
“Oh, boys,” Vax shook his head, putting his hands on Wolfe’s shoulders with a teasing smile before taking the bouquet of flowers from Keyleth's very full hands, “Another sister. You’re in for it now. Be prepared for them to run the house.”
“We already do, Uncle Vax,” Leona giggled, grinning up at her uncle.
“Yes, it’s true,” Percy smiled, “You have a healthy baby sister. She and your Mother are resting, but they’re very excited to see you.”
“Then what are we waiting for?!” Wolfe threw his hands up in an almost animated manner, very unlike his normal quiet nature, “Let’s go see them!!”
He laughed, steadying himself on his cane, making sure his free arm was securely around Freddie, who was still clinging to him, before he looked at Vesper.
“You look like you didn’t sleep all that much,” he observed, nudging his eldest daughter softly.
She chuckled softly, “Says the man who was likely up all night.”
He chuckled.
She definitely inherited both his and Vex’ahlia’s senses of sarcasm and quick wit.
“Still,” he murmured, looking at his twelve-year-old, “You need to make sure you’re getting enough rest, Vesper. You need it, dear.”
“Freddie was scared,” she muttered, “He wanted you and Mama. I was the next best thing.”
Percy’s heart sank. He didn’t want his oldest to feel that sort of pressure. The pressure of taking care of the younger ones was not a burden he’d ever wanted to fall on his daughter’s shoulders. He’d never wanted her to believe that it was simply expected of her. She was just as much their child as the younger ones. Not a substitute parent.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t grateful for her efforts, or the fact that she loved her siblings as much as she did. He just wished she knew how much she deserved to be taken care of as well.
He wrapped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to his twelve-year-old's temple, “Thank you for taking care of him.”
She hummed, offering him a small smile, leaning into him in the subtle way she always had when she needed comfort, but was far too stubborn to admit it, “Of course.”
He thought of the first time he and Vex had been in this hospital for a joyful reason. Twelve years before, when Vesper had come into their lives.
Before that, Tal’dorei Memorial Hospital had been associated with nothing but terrible memories.
He’d been brought here after he’d been found.
The Briarwoods had tried to claim custody of Cassandra here.
He and Vex had been brought here after the accident.
Keyleth had been brought here after nearly drowning.
Kaylie’s mother had died here when she’d only been a few months old.
Vex had been brought here after Saundor had attacked her.
Vax had gotten one of the worst diagnoses here.
Gods, he and Vex had both died here on separate occasions.
Because of all of the terrible occasions and memories that had filled these halls, he and Vex hadn’t wanted their child to be born there. Back then, they’d been newly married and frightened. Vax had just beaten leukemia, Cassandra had just been sent off to college, and it seemed all of their legal battles had finally calmed down. For the first time in their lives, they’d been allowed to feel safe and at peace, and neither one of them had wanted to tempt fate.
Vex’s pregnancy at that time had been unexpected but not unwanted; they’d just wanted to hold onto the happiness and safety they’d found for themselves and their unborn child, and given that this hospital was associated with some of the worst events of their lives, they’d wanted to steer clear. At the time, they’d been emotionally raw and struggling, trying to find their footing after years of tidal waves that just kept coming.
Vesper, however, had other ideas.
Over a month early, Vex had gone into labor, and without a second to process it, they were at Tal’dorei Memorial Hospital.
They’d been terrified, worried that something would happen that would ruin that happiness they were trying so hard to protect.
But Vesper had arrived, and Vex had been safe.
Since Vesper had arrived early, they’d ended up spending a few weeks with their daughter in the NICU, something neither one of them had ever anticipated when they’d thought about the arrival of their child. It had been emotionally draining, exhausting in ways he’d never known could be possible, and one of the most emotionally trying times he’d ever been through, which was saying something. Nothing could have prepared them for coming home from the hospital without the baby they wanted more than anything to bring with them. It had been one of the most emotionally and physically difficult times in their lives, with the both of them bathing in self-loathing every time they left the hospital with their baby still inside.
During that time, however, they’d had to build a level of trust with the staff.
Where there was fear and uncertainty, the staff was kind and caring, informative and trustworthy. Percy had never liked hospitals, much less leaving loved ones within their walls, but each time a doctor or nurse gave him detailed updates on how their daughter was doing, or encouraged them. Every day, they had people in their corner, informing them, keeping them up to date, offering them ways to better care for themselves, and sticking through some of their most difficult days in parenting, especially within the first few days of their daughter’s tiny, fragile life.
The rest of their family was with them almost every single day, taking care of them just as much as the hospital staff, helping them while Vex recovered, taking care of Trinket so they could be at the hospital with their baby. Pike would ask them questions and answer their questions in turn to keep them at ease, explaining everything the doctors told them to give them more peace than anxiety.
And…when Vesper finally got to come home after a few painfully long weeks, that trust had been something neither one of them would forget.
That trust and care were what changed his perspective on the building…even if it was just a building. It was the reason the rest of the children had been born here. It was the reason it was their hospital of choice any time an ER visit was necessary. It was the reason the de Rolo foundation allocated funds to help build their community outreach program, and helped them expand their outreach to disenfranchised and low-income communities.
It wasn’t about the money, or the money healthcare corporations would claim in the end, it was about building those relationships and strengthening that trust.
That was what mattered.
Looking at Vesper now, all he could feel was a sense of so much pride and love. Part of him still saw that tiny baby, so small and wrapped in tubes for weeks after she’d been born. Part of him could still see the look on Vex’s face when they’d both been allowed to hold her for the first time. Part of him would always see their baby.
But at the same time, he couldn’t deny what else he saw.
A strong young woman.
Only twelve and still wise beyond her years.
And gods, he was so proud of her.
He was snapped from his thoughts as the elevator chirped at them, a telltale sign that they’d arrived on the appropriate floor. The doors had barely opened before both twins had bolted from his side, bursting like cannon balls into the hallway with excitement.
“Wait for us!” Percy called after them, “Don’t run. Indoor pacing, remember?”
After a few steps of running, both twins slowed, looking over their shoulders with eager, impatient smiles.
“Besides,” Keyleth chuckled as she stepped out of the elevator, having handed the coffees to Vax to carry, “I think you both are going the wrong way.”
Both twins frowned at their aunt before Vesper chuckled, pointing to the sign on the hallway that indicated that the post-partum unit was in the opposite direction.
Percy chuckled as both twins shuffled back towards them, walking in pace beside Vesper and him as they made their way down the hallway.
“How’s Mama feeling?” Wolfe wondered aloud.
“Well,” Percy shrugged, “She’s tired, but she and your baby sister are both healthy.”
“So…” Freddie mumbled, looking up at Percy with big eyes, “We need to be quiet?”
“Well,” Percy shrugged, “Maybe just a little. I know your Mother’s very excited to see all of you.”
Leona let out a quiet cackling noise, her steps growing faster in pace as she practically raced ahead of them, before thinking the better of it, and falling back in pace with them. She smiled up at Percy over her shoulder, eyes big behind her glasses.
“How little is our baby sister?” she asked.
“Fairly small,” Percy answered softly, smiling down at his little girl, “But you and Wolfe were smaller. Vesper too.”
“Wasn’t Freddie the biggest?” Vax murmured.
“Yes, he was,” Keyleth nodded, nudging her husband with a knowing smile, “We said he was perfectly cooked, remember?”
“Cooked?” Freddie looked over Percy’s shoulder at his aunt with wide eyes, “You were gonna eat me?”
“No, sweetie, no!” Keyleth laughed nervously, holding a hand up to calm the child’s sudden anxiety, “We just mean that you were right on time. Vesper and the twins were both a little early.”
“And your baby sister was just a little bit late,” Percy nodded, smiling at the little boy on his hip, “But you were right on time.”
Freddie smiled softly with pride at that, nodding to himself before tugging at Percy’s shirt, “I want to walk.”
“Okay, buddy…” Percy murmured, lowering the little boy to the ground so he could walk with his siblings.
He couldn’t stop the smile that rose to his face as he watched the four-year-old immediately pick up the pace to keep up with the twins, looking back over his shoulder as if to urge the adults to go faster.
When they got to the automated doors to the new family center, Percy pressed the button, waiting for the voice of a nurse to pop through.
“Hi there! Who are you here to see?” Another nurse’s voice sounded off from the small speaker a moment later.
“Visitors for de Rolo!” Vesper chirped before anyone else could answer, a small smile of pride on her face as she stood before the doors, her hand taking Freddie's as they waited in anticipation.
A second later, the doors buzzed before swinging wide open, and the twins led the small charge into the ward.
Kara grinned at them from where she sat at the nurses' station, “You weren’t kidding, you brought the whole brood.”
“We certainly don’t do anything subtly,” Percy laughed, waving his children off to the side, “It’ll be the last door on the right. Remember, no running!”
The twins immediately double checked their pace before stopping in front of the door, recognizing a piece of paper with their family name taped to it.
“This one?” Leona was practically bouncing in front of the door, excitement buzzing from every muscle as she grinned at him.
“That’s the one,” Percy grinned, “Now remember, your baby sister may be sleeping, so let’s try and be quiet, okay? I know it’s very exciting, but she’s still so new in the world. Got it?”
“Got it!”
The twins and Freddie all chirped in unison as he joined them at their sides, his hand going to the door. His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest as he smiled at his children, and then Vax and Keyleth, who were beaming at him, all of them practically vibrating with anticipation. With a small nod, he slowly opened the door and peered in, finding that Vex was right where he’d left her, leaning back against pillows and smiling down at their baby girl, whose fingers were coiled around one of her own.
Gods, his heart melted again at the sight.
She looked up upon seeing him, her smile widening as he grinned at her.
“Look who I found, dearheart,” he called, opening the door and letting the children into the room.
“Mama!!”
“Hi, Mama!!”
“We missed you so much, Mama!!”
“M-Mama!!!”
Vex’s grin immediately grew, nameless joy sparking in her eyes at the sight of their other four children bursting into the room.
“Hello, my darlings!!” She grinned, if her face could have broken from her smile, he was certain it would, “I missed all of you so much!!”
The siblings all crowded around Vex’s bed, chirping with questions as they stared down at the bundle in her arms, each of them filled with shock and bewilderment, as if they couldn’t comprehend that this was their new sibling– despite the fact that it was their reason for being here.
“Sheesh, kiddos,” Vax chuckled from where he stood behind them, leaning over to wrap an arm around his sister, “Give your Mum a break…let her breathe for a second.”
Vex grinned up at her twin, “Were they good for you?”
Her brother matched her toothy grin, “Oh, we were all simply awful. I was a terrible influence and should never be trusted with children.”
“Why do you think you’re our go-to?” Vex grinned, “Hi, Scrawny.”
“How are you feeling, Stubby?” Vax murmured, kissing his sister’s forehead.
“Tired,” she sighed, but she nodded down at the bundle in her arms with a proud smile, “But look! I made this!”
Vax’s eyes softened in the way they always did when he saw one of the children, awestruck in wonder at the sight of the new baby. Tears pulled at the edges of his eyes, the man desperately trying to remain cool, but the inevitable softness seeping through, “Oh…so you did.”
Vex nodded slightly, looking at her children sitting on the edge of her bed with an excited smile, “I suppose your father told you that you have a baby sister?”
Leona practically giggled like a cartoon witch with the sheer glee on her face, her curls bouncing as she smiled, “Yes!”
“Am I a big brother now?” Freddie asked, looking up at his mother with big eyes.
“Oh, buddy,” Vesper whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed, wrapping an arm around her little brother, “You have been.”
“Oh wow…” the little boy whispered, leaning forward so he could peer at his baby sister’s face, before he frowned, concern settling into his features. His eyes widened before he looked up at Vex in horror, “Mummy, did someone hurt her?!”
“What?” Vesper looked confused, leaning forward to see what her brother was referring to, before she nodded, “Oh…”
Percy shared a look with Vex as they looked down from their baby to her concerned siblings, specifically what they were referring to.
Unlike her siblings, Gwendolyn had a patch of brick-red skin running from her left temple to her chin and another one directly underneath her right eye.
“Is that a bruise!?” Wolfe’s eyes went wide, worry in his face, almost immediately looking as if he wanted to hunt down the person who might have hurt his baby sister, “Who did that to her??”
“Nobody hurt her, buddy,” Percy sighed softly, holding up his hand to calm his children, who already were wanting to rally around to protect their newborn sibling, “I promise, she’s fine.”
“She’s fine, my loves, I promise,” Vex murmured softly with a small smile, brushing a fingertip along the small patch of skin on their daughter’s cheek, “This is a birthmark.”
“Oh,” Freddie nodded, relaxing slightly before looking up at Percy in confusion, “What’s a birthmark?”
“It’s like something on your skin that you’re born with,” Vesper explained gently, “Sometimes it’s like a freckle, or a spot on your skin where you’re tanner than the rest. It’s just a way that you’re unique.”
“And…” Leona whispered, “It doesn’t hurt her? Like…the red isn’t blood?”
“Oh no, baby,” Vex laughed softly, “This is called a port wine stain birthmark. It just means that she has some blood vessels in her face that formed differently, so her skin looks a little different from everyone else’s. But it’s what makes her unique.”
“Like…” Freddie was thinking hard about this, “Like how Vesper and Daddy’s hair is white? And like Uncle Grog’s tattoos?”
“Yeah,” Vex nodded with a fond smile, “It’s these things that make us all unique.”
“And it’s beautiful that way,” Keyleth added with a small smile.
Freddie nodded seriously, his giddy smile growing as he looked up at them, his eyes darting between his parents, “She is beautiful.”
Gods, Percy’s heart could have melted with the sight of his youngest son being a big brother.
“Yes,” Vesper agreed, ruffling her brother’s hair, “Yes, she is.”
Almost instantly, the rest of the siblings were immediately enamored with their little sister, all of them finding ways to crowd around the bed without impeding Vex’s space while Keyleth and Vax watched on. Eventually, Percy sank into a small armchair directly beside the bed, watching as his family whispered to one another, each of the siblings staring in awe at the baby in Vex’s lap.
“Was the delivery okay?” Keyleth asked, offering Vex a cup of coffee, which the woman accepted gratefully.
Vex shrugged, smiling softly down at the snoozing baby against her chest, “Honestly, not as easy as Freddie, but not nearly as difficult as the twins or Vesper.”
Percy nodded in agreement, a cacophony of memories from the different births of their children presenting themselves to him in rapid succession. The previous night, though it had been prolonged, it hadn’t been nearly as difficult as the delivery of the twins and Vesper. At the end of it all, they had been fortunate enough to bring their babies home eventually, but he was grateful when Vex had been spared an excess of pain and exhaustion.
“Good,” Keyleth whispered, smiling gently as she leaned over the bed to get a better view of the newborn, “Gods, she looks almost like Vesper did.”
“Oh, yeah,” Vex smiled, “See her nose? And the little scowl?”
“Yep, yeah…she’s got Percy’s eye shape, but most of your facial features,” Keyleth chuckled, smiling up at her oldest niece, “All of you were so cute…like, normally it takes some time for you to see the similarities between babies and their parents, but all of you were the spitting image of your Mom and Dad, it’s not even funny.”
Vesper seemed proud of the fact, “Who would you say looked the most like who?”
“Oh, Wolfe is Percy, through and through,” Keyleth didn’t hesitate in her answer, “He’s got your Mom’s hair, but everything else? All Percy.”
Wolfe seemed to perk up at that, smiling at his father, who merely ruffled his curls ever so slightly.
“I would say Vesper looks the most like Vex,” Vax commented, “But she’s definitely got a lot of Percy in her face…same with Leona. Maybe this little one will be the same.”
“Different but the same,” Freddie echoed, peering slightly over at his new baby sister, “Different but the same.”
“Exactly,” Percy smiled.
The siblings were completely in love with their baby sister, each of them perhaps all simultaneously quieter and calmer than he’d ever seen them all at once. They were all exceedingly gentle and calm as they shuffled around the bed, offering their mother affection and care as they all peered down at their little sister.
When he took their newborn baby in his arms so he could pass her into Vesper’s waiting arms, he felt his heart was completely captured. From Vax, who was partially sitting on the bed, with his arm wrapped around his twin. To Keyleth, who now had Freddie in her arms, sputtering over an explanation of how babies were made (“W-When…when a Mommy and a Daddy…hug for a very long time…”). To Vesper, who was already prepared to take her baby sister in her arms with the precision of a trained professional, but with the excitement of a big sister who would never grow tired of meeting her siblings. To Wolfe and Leona, who were sitting at the foot of their mother’s bed, arguing about which one of them would be the favorite of their new baby sister.
To his beautiful, extraordinary wife, sitting in the bed and smiling at the loving family they had around them.
He glanced down at his newborn daughter, with her tiny smile and closed eyes.
There had been a time when he’d thought he’d never know the love of a family again.
There had been a time when his life had been so consumed by darkness and grief that the hope of a future had faded completely.
But this?
His family.
The family he had around him now, and the family members like Pike, Grog, Scanlan, and Tary, who were all going to visit later on.
And now, their newest addition.
“Dad?”
He looked up at the sound of Vesper’s voice, finding her holding her arms out for her newborn sister, a small spark of impatience in her eyes, so similar to her mother's.
She raised a small pale eyebrow, “You okay?”
He nodded, smiling gently as he looked from his eldest daughter to his youngest.
“Yes, darling,” he grinned, “Yes. Everything’s fine.”
From there, he gently and carefully put the bundle in his daughter’s arms, watching the way Vesper’s smile grew adoring as the weight of her baby sister fell into her arms.
His smile only grew as he went back to his wife’s side, looking at the family that surrounded them, with only one thought on his mind.
Everything’s perfect.